by Daniel Smiechowski
Mother’s Day became an official United States holiday in 1914 but the concept of honoring motherhood has been around since the ancient Greeks. President Woodrow Wilson had designated the second Sunday in May as Mother’s Day.
It is quite clear to any reasonable person that mothers carry the burden, both figuratively and practically. It seems as if Mother’s must be all things to all people, but fundamental is their sense of nurturing and enabling the young. The stories of mother’s defending their children to the perils of emotional, psychological and physical harm are legend. Unless one carries up to 100 eggs as the male seahorse and subsequently gives birth, mother’s in our human race reign supreme.
There are thousands and thousands of good mother’s in Clairemont deserving of mention but I would like to speak of one lady in particular. This woman lived through the Normandy Invasion but not without great suffering. Bombs rained on her house and bodies fell from the sky in the seaport city of Le Havre, France. She contracted tuberculosis and was hospitalized in grave condition. When the war ended, she married and came to America without even a high school education. It was at Clairemont adult school where she earned her diploma in 1967.
The following year she began studies at Mesa College, where she graduated with highest honors. With her newly earned Associates Degree she commenced studies at UCSD, where again she graduated with highest honors. Coincidentally, the wife of famed philosopher Herbert Marcuse was also from France and taught at this great University. Soon afterward, she enrolled at SDSU where again she earned a Masters Degree with highest honors.
In 1975 she began to teach at Mesa College as a French Instructor and sat on the Faculty Senate. During this period, she enrolled at UCLA under a doctoral program. This lady spoke five languages fluently, played the cello in the Catholic Church, was an accomplished swimmer and very athletic, modeled professionally for The Milwaukee Journal—Sentinel and was deemed a genius by her peers. She had co-produced professional educational material that was recorded at San Diego City College. Her beautiful voice is still remembered throughout San Diego and the world. She was a master cook and baked the most exquisite French cakes and delicacies. But above all, she loved her children and every child for that matter.
On December 08, 1978 months shy of attaining her PhD she passed away from a brain tumor. That is my mother.
I wish every mother the happiest of days for all of you are truly special.
Be nice, do good deeds and don’t be a stranger as we at the Clairemont Times value your participation.
Daniel J Smiechowski has been a resident of Clairemont since 1967 and can be reached at smiechowskid@aol.com or 858 220 4613
